Someone walking along the South Fork Rail Trail in Lincolnton found a meth lab, and the discovery has led to the arrest of three people.

Last week, someone found a duffel bag containing ingredients to make meth on the trail off Laboratory Road in Lincolnton. Detectives determined it was a "one pot" meth lab, and had to call for help from the SBI to remove the duffel bag and the dangerous combination of ingredients inside.

“This bag and its contents were just thrown into the woods near an area where the public routinely visit to walk. Thanks to an observant citizen we were able to contain the chemicals and dispose of them properly before any innocent party was exposed,” said narcotics Lt. Jon Propst.

Deputies arrested three people and charged them in relation to this case. They are Ricky Denny Jr., 23, Michael Hester, 36, and Jordan Bingham, 23. They're all charged with a felony count of manufacturing methamphetamine and felony conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

The South Fork Rail trail is a nearly 1-mile trail that's part of a network of trails that make up the Carolina Thread Trail.